1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for data loss prevention, securing data by integrating a host based data loss agent with file and full disk encryption software, as to facilitate the data loss agent with encryption detection abilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
Host-based data loss prevention (DLP) agents are used to prevent unauthorized user activities that result in data leaving the organization in a manner that compromises a set security policy. User activity is monitored within each host by an application software agent. The agent intercepts user activities via software probes that gather information about application requests and provide that information to the agent to determine if the user request should be allowed or blocked. Data loss incidents can be of many forms, such as file copy, email, web posting and printing of sensitive content.
Host-based DLP agents are used to manage devices by blocking removable media devices or setting them as read only according to device parameters and a security policy. A DLP agent may also allow a device to work, but detect and prevent data loss by analyzing the contents of files written to the removable device, and prevent only files containing sensitive data from being written. The same applies to other channels of data loss such as email, network connectivity, web, etc.
Often, it is required that sensitive data should leave the organization by one of the above methods. Information must be collaborated or shared with suppliers, buyers, or other parts of the organization which are not controlled by the same DLP system. A need exists to secure information even when it leaves the boundaries of the organization.